Elisabetta Sirani’s Virgin and Child, 1663, portrays Mary not as a remote queen of heaven but as a very real, young Italian mother, wearing the turban favored by Bolognese peasant women, who gazes adoringly at the plump baby wriggling on her lap. Mary’s long, slender fingers secure the infant’s torso as the Christ child playfully leans back into pictorial space to crown her with a garland of roses, which she lowers her head to receive. There is virtually no ornamentation on Mary’s clothing except for the hint of a blue pattern in her headscarf: the only other decoration is the gold tassel at the corner of the pillow on which the Christ child is resting. This touch of glitter and the floral garland are especially noticeable in contrast to Sirani’s plain, dark background.
About the Art Prints
Virgin And Child by Elisabetta Sirani. Our art prints are produced on acid-free 220 GSM papers using archival inks and lamination to guarantee that they last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All prints include a sufficent white border around the image to allow for future framing, if desired. Product will be shipped in 2 days